GOOD TIMES a spin-off of MAUDE - Page 10 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

stevea · 06-17-2026, 04:13 PM

I was wondering, if Lear had decided to use the pre-existing Monte script and call the characters Georgia and James, starring Esther Rolle and John Amos, would he then not call it a spin-off?

That is, is the Florida name THE thing?

TVFactFan · 06-17-2026, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I was wondering, if Lear had decided to use the pre-existing Monte script and call the characters Georgia and James, starring Esther Rolle and John Amos, would he then not call it a spin-off?

That is, is the Florida name THE thing?

Her last ep of Maude was more of a closure to the character not a transition which is the main reason I dont call it a spinoff

BestTVever · 06-17-2026, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Her last ep of Maude was more of a closure to the character not a transition which is the main reason I dont call it a spinoff

Because they were using Maude as a springboard to the new show. The week she left Maude she was on Good Times the next week. Had they had a pilot could have confused people.
I think Lear did a bunch of unconventional things. Spinning off a popular character made people tune in to see the new show. Sort of makes sense.

Here is Florida on Good Times talking about her former maid days
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0ze-pbbq7Jw

BestTVever · 06-17-2026, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Her last ep of Maude was more of a closure to the character not a transition which is the main reason I dont call it a spinoff

Because they were using Maude as a springboard to the new show. The week she left Maude she was on Good Times the next week. Had they had a pilot could have confused people.
I think Lear did a bunch of unconventional things. Spinning off a popular character made people tune in to see the new show. Sort of makes sense.

Here is Florida on Good Times talking about her former maid days
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0ze-pbbq7Jw

BestTVever · 06-23-2026, 10:32 AM

I am going to bring unity and peace to this 10 page multi-year thread. The reason many of us cant agree is because Good Times has a little bit of evidence of both a spin off but then also has evidence it was not.

The biggest argument it not being a spin off of Maude is not the city location or her husband's name change even though her husband came off Maude and also joined Good Times. The show was already in development and its creation was not connected to Maude. The show was going to be aired someday with no connection to Maude. Without Maude the show probably would have still existed.

HOWEVER

Norman Lear was lavishing in his first big spin off from All In The Family. Maude was in the top 5 sitcoms and Florida was a key reason. The banter between Maude and Florida was hysterical and a major reason people watched the show. How about spinning off Florida in her own show? Oh wait we already have a sitcom in production about a poor black family in Chicago. Would she not make the perfect mom there? So Florida says goodbye to Maude and the next week is on her own show. Not only was her name the same but she essentially played the exact same character from Maude. Thus she was "spun off" to her own show. She was the second star of Maude that got her own show. That alone meets the description of a spin off. The network gave Florida her own show. This is why they did not change her name. They used the developing show as a chance to spin off a wildly popular character in her own show. Its a cynical form of a spin off but still meets the definition since a major cast member was given their own show.

TVFactFan · 06-23-2026, 03:07 PM

If I was alive on feb 5 1974 and watched florida leave maude and then watched her on Good Times 3 days later on Feb 8 1974 I would have been so confused

stevea · 06-23-2026, 03:44 PM

It is just a matter of semantics.

I doubt Eric Monte would call the show a spin-off--since his position (in a well-publicized 1977 lawsuit) was that his ideas involving this show and others were stolen by Lear, CBS, Tandem, and others.

When you say, "She was the second star of Maude that got her own show," are you referring to Bea Arthur herself as Maude? If not, what other star of Maude got her own show?

TVFactFan · 06-23-2026, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

It is just a matter of semantics.

I doubt Eric Monte would call the show a spin-off--since his position (in a well-publicized 1977 lawsuit) was that his ideas involving this show and others were stolen by Lear, CBS, Tandem, and others.

When you say, "She was the second star of Maude that got her own show," are you referring to Bea Arthur herself as Maude? If not, what other star of Maude got her own show?

I think they was trying second star of the AITF sitcom universe to get their own show but Good Times is not connected to AITF

06-17-2026, 04:13 PM	#136
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,552	I was wondering, if Lear had decided to use the pre-existing Monte script and call the characters Georgia and James, starring Esther Rolle and John Amos, would he then not call it a spin-off? That is, is the Florida name THE thing?

06-23-2026, 10:32 AM	#140
BestTVever Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 29, 2021 Location: Miami Posts: 1,905	I am going to bring unity and peace to this 10 page multi-year thread. The reason many of us cant agree is because Good Times has a little bit of evidence of both a spin off but then also has evidence it was not. The biggest argument it not being a spin off of Maude is not the city location or her husband's name change even though her husband came off Maude and also joined Good Times. The show was already in development and its creation was not connected to Maude. The show was going to be aired someday with no connection to Maude. Without Maude the show probably would have still existed. HOWEVER Norman Lear was lavishing in his first big spin off from All In The Family. Maude was in the top 5 sitcoms and Florida was a key reason. The banter between Maude and Florida was hysterical and a major reason people watched the show. How about spinning off Florida in her own show? Oh wait we already have a sitcom in production about a poor black family in Chicago. Would she not make the perfect mom there? So Florida says goodbye to Maude and the next week is on her own show. Not only was her name the same but she essentially played the exact same character from Maude. Thus she was "spun off" to her own show. She was the second star of Maude that got her own show. That alone meets the description of a spin off. The network gave Florida her own show. This is why they did not change her name. They used the developing show as a chance to spin off a wildly popular character in her own show. Its a cynical form of a spin off but still meets the definition since a major cast member was given their own show.

06-23-2026, 03:07 PM	#141
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,046	If I was alive on feb 5 1974 and watched florida leave maude and then watched her on Good Times 3 days later on Feb 8 1974 I would have been so confused

06-23-2026, 03:44 PM	#142
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,552	It is just a matter of semantics. I doubt Eric Monte would call the show a spin-off--since his position (in a well-publicized 1977 lawsuit) was that his ideas involving this show and others were stolen by Lear, CBS, Tandem, and others. When you say, "She was the second star of Maude that got her own show," are you referring to Bea Arthur herself as Maude? If not, what other star of Maude got her own show?